Letter: I Watched The Council Meeting With Utter Incredulity

Published on: 25 Jul, 2018
Updated on: 25 Jul, 2018

From John Ferns

Last night I watched the full Guildford Borough Council meeting with utter incredulity. Item 8 was, “A review of the allocation of seats on committees 2018-19”, a topic occasioned by Cllr Tony Rooth’s recent resignation from the Conservative group.

There are obviously some deep-seated feelings and issues amongst his former colleagues in the group who voted him off the Planning Committee. Four of its members (it only needed one!) voted to exclude him.

A number of party members across all political groups attested to Cllr Rooth’s integrity as a member of the Planning Committee and indeed as a former council leader. Additionally, his long-standing experience as a practising solicitor has enhanced his contributions in all matters of council business.

A further vote on another motion voted him off the other two committees on which he previously sat, again on the basis of a single vote against.

Like many contributors to The Guildford Dragon, I am of the view that party politics should not be the ‘driver’ of decisions made at a local level.

Shame on the five members who voted against the motions.

Here is one local resident who will no longer be voting for any Conservative local councillor, standing as a ‘Conservative’ in the borough elections in May next year.

See also: Borough Council Chooses the ‘Nuclear Option’ Over Committee Appointments

Share This Post